Police fatally shoot rifle-toting man in Watts

Police shot and killed a man riding a bicycle and armed with a rifle at the Jordan Down Housing Projects in Watts early Christmas morning, authorities said.

LAPD officers were called to the area just before 4 a.m. after a report of an assault with a rifle. The officers were near an open field behind the housing area when they saw an occupied SUV adjacent to the field, police said.

While dealing with the people in that vehicle, they saw a man riding toward them on a bicycle. The man, police said, was holding a rifle and ignored their commands, prompting them to shoot.

The man, believed to be in his 20s, was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police say an assault rifle was recovered at the scene. An investigation into the shooting has been launched, as is typical with officer-involved shootings.

The identity of the slain man has not been released.

-- Robert Faturechi

Photo: LAPD detective Craig Kaul investigates the shooting Saturday morning. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[mandoloc]

We Gonna Miss U K-Loc. We will always have U in our Hearts! See U When I Get There.

[John H]

Doesn't the US constitution allow the citizenry to carry and bear arms ?

Thus, why is the LAPD so eager to emulate Dirty Harry and turn the citizens' world into a shooting gallery ?

[crazy legs]

A dummy with an assault rifle at 4:ooam on christmas morning, was he trying to shoot down santa's raindeer.

[Confused]

How funny is this...On the news the other day the wife of a Police Chief FIRED several rounds at police and they did NOT return fire, but this guy is just riding a bike and HOLDING a rifle and he gets shot dead...That's FUNNY!

[Only in Watts]

Let's guess: The SUV was stolen and the guy on the bike was trying to give his family an early Christmas present of lawsuit settlement $$$$.?.

[August]

Another COLD-BLOODED MURDER by thug cops!

[Jrwkilleen]

Excuse me...this is news? It's Watts and it's the projects. Whattaya expect???

[Matthew Kaney]

Sounds fishy to me. Everyone is aware that it's basically impossible to shoot a rifle while riding a bike, right? You couldn't hit a cop if he was 5 feet away. But, you know, he was just a mundane, not one of the badge class.

[cash4acres]

$450,000 trial saved! $75,000 per year saved! Great! Saved big money like China does! 25cents vs. 1/2 million!

[Paul Nelson]

OMG! a man with a rifle on a bike
in jordan downs
How can this be NEWS?
It is a daily fact

[BLUEWATER]

The LAPD told this man to STOP and he didnt LISTEN
he kept going and he was packing an assault RIFLE!!!
Some guys want to go out in a BLAZE OF GORY!!!

[wattsboii]

tell me how u gonna shoot somebody with a rifle while riding a bike..dat makes no sense..these cops out here are vicious..

R.I.P ma boii k-lok we gonna miss u out here ma boii..

[Questionman]

Officers are always faced with life and death situations. When someone comes riding at you with a rifle he/she wants to kill you. The officers had to protect themselves and shoot the suspects. If you have any other law enforcement questions post them at www.copinsider.com

[mandoloc]

This goes out to all you people making these dumb comments about a person that you don't know & about a city that people judge without knowing nothing about it. Stop it now please!!! Most people that live in Watts have really good hearts & are very caring people... including my good friend Kevin that was the 1 that lost his life on this sad X-Mas day. Most of you just hide behind this damn computer & talk trash about people you don't know, all you guys need 2 get a life or take the time to visit my city(Watts) so you can understand the way we live. there is no racism between us... we all see each other as 1. it's a very loving city, poor but loving. This city has made me the man i am & I am very thankful for that. & for those of you who think nothing good comes out of Watts ur wrong, my family is a perfect example of that. ... My brother has his PHD, My other brother has his BA & as for me im just 1 of those hard working people that come out of Watts. Peace & Love to all my friends that live in our great city.

[karen]

We will always have u in our hearts and memories. Thanks for all the great smiles you brought to our face and thanks for all the love you had for us. You will be missed K, may your soul rest in peace... :'(

[karen]

I agree with you mandoloc. People judge by what they hear... K was a good person he wasnt going to harm no one, this article is a lie, that i know for a fact!!!! he was a very caring and loving friend, father, brother, nephew and grandson... i dont care what people have to say about him. I know he was a great person with a BIG heart!

[Just Say'n]

To All the idiots who want to blame the LAPD,

How about you blame the retard that would ride around on a bike 4am in the morning with a darn assault riffle, for what?.
Your quick to call the police when you need them to help you, but then want to blame them for protecting the community when they need to!!. It looks like if they didn't take him down he would have taken someone else's life.

[Scat]

Sounds just like a terrorist in Afganistan. "Suicide biker"

[Watts Up!]

Life is hard...it's even harder if you're stupid. I think this case proves it. This story seems to have come from Bizarro World where the people defend a thug for toting a rifle at 4 am, up is now down, left is right and the Times provides factual reporting without a liberal slant. The true victims in this case are the involved officers that are probably still being interviewed. The benefactors are the tax paying citizens that wont have to pay for trials, incarceration and recidivism. Sorry Jordan Downs, sales tax doesn't count.

[PHYRE BLAZE LANE]

K. WAS A GOOD PERSON. HE AND MY DAUGHTER WERE GREAT FRIENDS. IT WAS HIS TRADITION TO GO HUNTING WITH HIS FAMILY AROUND THIS TIME OF YEAR. HE WAS TO GO AROUND 5AM. IT WAS A BAD DECISION TO RIDE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE GUN OUT. BUT HE WASNT GOING TO HURT ANYONE. HE WAS IN HIS OWN NEIGHBORHOOD...THE ONE HE LIVED IN ALL HIS LIFE. PERHAPS HE HAD DONE THAT MANY TIMES BEFORE EARLY IN THE AM. I DO NOTICE THE HEADPHONES IN THE PIC THOUGH. AND IF HE WERE LISTENING TO MUSIC...AND TRYING TO BALANCE A RIFLE WHILE RIDING ON UNEVEN GROUND..... I AGREE ITS UNLIKELY HE WAS BEING THREATENING.... THE POLICE COULD NOT HAVE FEARED FOR THEIR LIVES. HE PROBABLY DOESNT EVEN KNOW WHAT HIT HIM. HIS LOSS WAS FELT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. HE ONLY HAS SIBLINGS LEFT...HIS PARENTS PASSED BEFORE HIM...NOW THEY DONT HAVE THEIR BIG BROTHER AND HIS FOUR CHILDREN NO LONGER HAVE A FATHER. WHAT A TRAVISTY. GOD BLESS YOU KEVIN. REST IN PEACE SWEETIE PIE.

[Katz Meow]

If you look at other news reports here in the paper it states that homicide rates have gone down in L.A. THAT'S BECAUSE THE COPS ARE PICKING UP THE SLACK and we all know "murder is a crime unless it is done by a policeman" - (taken from Know Your Rights by The Clash)

[conraddobler]

Excuse me...this is news? It's Watts and it's the projects. Whattaya expect???"

You're right...what the heck next we'll be hearing about nutty white dudes who barge into suburban school board meetings, paint a "V" with a circle around it, then get hit by a purse before finally shooting himself in the head....Whattaya expect???

[Mufon]

How many of you critics are in the projects and in South LA trying to promote peace?

*Crickets chirping*

Much easier to blog and troll, isn't it?

[evenmoreconfused about]

Lol...if he was a good guy and carrying a rifle @ 4 am..after a shooting had just happened and not complying with police commands

.lmao...I don't wanna run into a bad guy....I'm really confused about what people think is a good guy?!

[Randy]

Ok...carrying a rifle is not illegal (if its not loaded)...however...common sense dictates that when you have a gun and a cop tells you to drop it....um you should do that....deal with the questions of why you have it out in public later (California's open carry laws permit this)....pain in the ass yes, worth dying over, no.